Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Thanks to all the kind souls helping us in our dire situation

Thank you all so much for your kindness and your help! My company has offered to complete the donations to make up the 8500 $ , that part given as a company loan to me.
With your help and theirs, I was able to transfer the money to retain the attorney in time on 2009.10.20., plus I have received an extension from the court until November 9 to answer, so hopefully it will give enough time for the attorney to prepare for the trial and provide an thorough answer to the appeal.

Please, keep on praying for us and for a positive outcome of this case - so that this harassment would be stopped for once and we could finally get peace and safety! I will keep you posted about the status of the case, to be sure that your donation serves a good cause!

God bless you all!
Hugs,
Ildiko xxx

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Time is running out

As some of you might know already, I have to respond to a lawsuit in the US about the custody of my two children, Justine (7) and Brandon (5). I couldn't find any other legal help so far and am now forced to hire a private attorney.

I need to get 8.500$ to pay such an attorney. Money that I do not have. So if you can help me, even if it is only a little sum, please send your contribution to... (Please donate here)

You can also help me by spreading the word about this. You can refer to this blogspot.

A detailed description of the case can be found here and in my previous blogspot

I have lived in the US for a while and been with a man there. I got two children from him but we haven't been married. This man has been very violent to me and the kids. Medical evidence is existing for this.

When my mother in Hungary was diagnosed with cancer in 2006, I went there to let her see the kids before she died. After she had died, me and the kids stayed in Hungary.

In the meantime the man had sued me for kidnapping the kids and initiated a warrant against me. And he has started a lawsuit to get hold of the kids.

I have tried several ways to get help but it turned out that I need to have an American lawyer to represent me. The only problem is that I cannot pay the costs and have no emotional ressources left to fight back.

The lawsuit in the US (Florida) is already end of October (10.30.).

I have tried to get legal help through free services or by finding a pro-bono lawyer but all attempts failed so far. As time is running out I need to hire a Florida-based lawyer myself now and this quick!

If you want to help me with money, please send it to Paypal Donation. Or if you know a Florida-based lawyer who would take the case pro-bono please let me know on kildybonyhad@freemail.hu

Please also help me spread the word about this!

Thank you all for your help! I'll keep you updated of the situation here on my blog.

Ildiko,
Justine and Brandon

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Please Help me Save My Kids!! I desperately need your help!

My name is Ildiko, I have lived in the US for a while and had a relationship with a man there. I had 2 kids from him but he hasn't married me. This man has been very violent to me and the kids, even medical evidence is existing for this.

I need urgent help to prevent this man from taking the children away from me. I have been granted full and sole custody of the children by the Florida Court, but he is appealing the court's decision and we have no money to hire legal representation to defend ourselves against a manipulative control driven violent man.
I only have time until the end of October to answer his appeal,and if I cannot get legal representation in time, I may lose my children!
Please help us with finding either a pro-bono attorney who could represent us in this appeal case, or help us with your donations to gather the 8500 $ necessary to retain such an attorney, until the middle of October! I have tried several ways to get help but it turned out that we need to have an American lawyer to represent us. The only problem is that I cannot pay the costs and have no emotional ressources left to fight back.
Our life and happiness depends on these few days we have left - please help us!

Here is my story about how we got into this situation:
While working in the USA, I have met an American man from Michigan, Mr C , and we had a relationship, but he never married me. From this relationship we had two children born, a daughter, Justine (7) and a son , Brandon (5).After our first child was born, our relationship started to deteriorate - since my immigration status was still very shaky, I had been kept at bay by a constant blackmail and threat of getting reported to INS and getting deported, if I won't obey him . He has abused all of us, was getting physical with me and kept me in a constant emotional and mental terror. He was hitting me and even choking me a few times in front of the children - we have all suffered from serious domestic abuse. Yet I dared not to report these incidents, because I was afraid of getting deported and losing my children, the usual threats with which he has always kept me in a state of a house-slave.
To my great luck, I have discovered a Lutheran Community close to us in Ormond Beach, Florida. This Faith Lutheran Church became my refuge after baptising my two children. With their help I was able to get in connection with the local Domestic Abuse Council. The Council and some charitable members of the ccommunity have helped us to work on an escape plan from the horror we were living in.
Since my daughter has suffered second degree burns while in the care of Mr.C when she was not even 2 years old, an investigation from the local DCF has been started and it involved 6 consecutive cases. Yielding to the pressure of DCF, I have managed to move away from Mr. C with the children and started a custody case while living apart for a year. The 7th District Court of Volusia County in Daytona Beach has awarded sole custody of the two children to me in August,2006 , leaving only a restricted supervised visitation right to Mr. C.During the court procedures supervised visits were facilitated as contact for Mr. C with the children. The children have been attending regular sessions with child psychiatrists, and they still do that to this very day, trying to recover from all the trauma they have been through the abuse.
During the same time, I got news that back home in Hungary my mother got cancer and she was in a serious condition. With the intention to show her grandchildren to her while she is still alive, plus to get away from the constant threats of Mr. C, we have moved back to Hungary with the children in September 2006, when I already had full custody of them. At home in Hungary I have managed to find a secure job, was able to buy an apartment with a bank loan, that now I am paying back in monthly installments from my salary. I am still living alone with my children, have nobody to support us, but my family, mainly my father. My mother died 2 months after we arrived home, but my father and my sister try to help us as much as they can to get along. Mr. C has never paid, and still is not paying any child support at all, because he claims he is disabled and has only SSI-income. Yet he owns 8 houses that he is renting out to people, so he has a considerable rental income, but that is not garnishable, I guess.
The children have already assimilated well in their new environment, my daughter started school recently and my son goes to kindergarden, both very close to our residence. We live in a quiet and friendly community, in a seemingly safe environment.
Yet the haunting did not stop - Mr.C has been hunting us down and kept on harassing and threatening us. He started new court proceedings ,contrary to all court decisions, still trying to reverse the ruling and gain custody himself, wants to take the kids back to the US and separate them from me, while they have never had anyone caring for them , but me, from birth all along.... :-(
He has appealed the court's decision and I had to hire an attorney in the USA to fight that appeal - we won, but only temporary. This has cost me my entire savings and all of my family's savings as well - 8500 $.Now Mr. C has filed another appeal, and I cannot hire the attorney again, because I do not have another 8500 $, neither my family scrounge up that much. I would have to gather this 8500$ by the end of October, or else I may lose all that we have fought for so hard through the last 4 years, and lose my kids, too !
I pray to you, please, help us with your donations, as much as you can - even a little may go a long way !!! I can also take help for a lawyer that would help me with my case probono instead of your donations, I am desperate, I do not know where to turn! I'm sorry to bother you with such sad stuff, but I do not have any other option, anybody else to turn to - our own resources are completely wiped out and we cannot get this much together alone !!! I have received the ruling of the 5th District Court of Appeals in Daytona Beach, Florida this Monday 09.21., which was dated 09.14.2009, saying that I only have 45 days from that date on to present my answer to Mr.C's initial brief of the appeal. I still have not received this initial brief yet, but the time is running out and I have no one to help me with that!I have tried to ask Legal Aid and other legal services, but they told me they cannot represent me, because I'm out of the USA, so my only option would be to hire a private appeallate attorney.
Please, let me know if you can help! I intend to pay back everyone, whatever the contribution may be, on the long run, but because the time is short, I cannot do anything else, but take some desperate measures to save my kids and our family !
Trusting in your good Christian heart and compassion,Yours Sincerely,

Ildiko Karpati